Wind-operated toy.



H. THATCHER.

WIND OPERATED TOY,

APPLICATION FILED. JULY 20.1917.

1,260,833. Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

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HARVEY THATCHER, 01 0A, ILLINOIS.

WIND-OPERATED TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 26, 1918..

Application filed July 20, 1917. Serial No. 181,768.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARVEY THATGHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Maroa, in the county of Macon, State of Illinois, have invented a new and usefulWind- Operated Toy; and I- do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to a wind operated toy, and has for its object to provide a device of this character which embodies novel features of construction whereby jointed figures are caused to move in a life-like manner by the rotation of a wind wheel.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a toy of this character which is comparatively simple and inexpensive in its construction, which can be readily mounted'in position to be operated by the wind, which can be readily taken apart'and put together, and which will afford an endless amount of amusement for children.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of the parts aswill more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention,

reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wind operated toy constructed in accordance with the invention, portions bein broken away and shown in sectionto 1 lustrate more clearly the details of construction.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig.4 is a detail view of the wind wheel and the end of the shaft to which it is attached, portions of the wind wheel being broken away.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views showing a modification which is designed for attaching a device to the filling sleeves of automobile radiators. J j

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Specifically describing the present embodlment of the invention, the reference numeral 1 designates a supporting post which is provided at its upper end with a plvot pin 2 upon which a revolving and horizontally disposed platform 3 is mounted. A palr of spaced standards 4 project upwardly from the revolving platform 3, said standards being provided at their upper ends with vertical slots 4; for the receptlon of a horizontally disposed shaft 5. This shaft is provided with a pair of crank portions 5 which are offset upon opposite sldes thereof, said crank portions pivotally engaging the arms 6 of jointed figures A. The legs 7 of the jointed figures are rigidly secured to the platform 3 and pivotally con nected at 7 to the body 8, the arms 6 being similarly connected to the body at 6. With this arrangement it will be obvious that as the crank shaft revolves a life-likern0tion will be imparted to the jointed figure.

A wind wheel 9 is fitted upon one end of the crank shaft 5, being preferabl removably applied thereto, and being loc ed with the shaft so that the shaft and wheel will rotate together. For this purpose the end portion of the shaft is shown as provided with a crimped portion 10 which forms a shoulder against which the wind wheel 9 fits. A U-shaped sliding latch 11 straddles the hub of the wind wheel, the arms thereof being received within suitable guides 12, and the outer arm terminating in a fin er piece 18, while the opposite arm is provi ed with afinger 11 adapted to engage and interlock with the crimped portion 10 of the crank shaft. When the member 11 is moved outwardly into inoperative position and the finger 11 disengaged from the crimped shoulder 10 the wind wheel can be disengaged from the shaft or placed in position thereon. However, when the member 11 is moved inwardly to bring the finger 11 into engagement with the crimped shoulder 10 the wind wheel is locked in position and at the same time made rigid with the shaft so that the wheel and shaft will rotate together. The end of the platform 3 remote from the wind wheel 9 is provided with a vane 14 which is arranged in the vertical plane of .the shaft 5 and standards A and serves to revolve the platform 3 and hold it in ards 4 by means of swinging latches 15, the,

swinging ends of the latches being doubled to fit around and straddle the standards, and being transversely slotted at 15 to receive the shaft 5. Side arms 15 at the opposite ends of the swinging latch members 15 extend downwardly along opposite sides of the standards 4 and are pivotally connected thereto at 16. The shaft 5 is provided with shoulders 17 which engage the sides of the doubled ends of the swinging latch members 15 to hold the shaft against longitudinal sliding movement, and when the latch members are in operative position the slotted portions 15*fthereof receive the shaft and hold it in position within the notched ends 4* of the standards 4.

The arms 6 of the jointed figure may have the free ends thereof notched at 6 to receive the crank portions 5 of the shaft 5, and swinging latch; members 17' similar to the before mentioned latch members 15 may be provided for engagin the shaft and holdlng it in position wit in these notches. If desired, the legs 7 of the jointed figures may be provided at the feet thereof with T- shaped heads 18 adapted to be inserted through slots 19 in the base 3'to admit of the. fi re being placed in position or"re-' move therefrom when turned about avertical axis into a position at right angles to thatwhich it normally occupies. When the jointed figure is turned into normal position, namely into a plane at right angles to the shaft 5, the T-shaped head 18 of the foot thereof will interlock with the slot 19 to hold the jointed figure securely in position.-

Thefigures are thus constructed in such a manner that they can be readily placed in position or removed therefrom, thereb enablin a variety of figures to be use and great dy enhancing the amusement to be obtaine from the toy by enablin difi'erent fiq res to be substituted at interva s of time.

v .n ivotally mounting the platform 3 upon 1; e ivot pin 2, any suitable construct1on may e provided, although in the present instance this pivot pin is shown as surrounded b a sleeve 20 which fits within a substantia 1y semi-circular bend or twist 3" .at the middle portion of the platform 3, the

0 site side of the sleeve be1n en aged b a oked latch 21 which is p ivot lly con nected to the platform at 22. The swinging end of the hooked latch has a resilient formation so as to spring around the sleeve 20 and lockthe parts -in operative position.

A slight modification is shown by Figs. 5 and 6, in which the latform is constructed for attachment to tiie filling sleeve at the top of an automobile radiator, said sleeve bem indicated at R. In this instance the plat orm would not rotate, but would be clamped rigidly in position. The latform 3", which is constructed substantia y as in the previous instance, is provided with a twisted semi-circular portion 3 adapted to fit around one side of the radiator sleeve 4, the other side of the radiator sleeve being engaged by a hooked latch 21 which is pivotally connected at 22 to the platform, the hooked swinging end thereof having a resilient formation so as to spring around the sleeve R and lock the parts in position.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A wind operated toy including a supporting post, a horizontal platform revolubly mounted upon the post, a pair of standards projecting upwardly from the platform, a horizontalshaft journaled in the standards and formed with a crank ortion, said shaft having a crimped shoulderat a point toward one end thereof, a wind wheel fitted upon the said end of the shaft, a U- shaped latch member straddling the hub of the wind Wheel and, provided with a finger adapted to engage the crimped shoulder to lock the wind wheel in position upon the shaft, a jointed figure mounted upon the platform and operatively connected to the crank portion of the shaft, and a vane applied to the platform for holding the wind wheel to the windward.

2. A wind operated toy including a supporting post, a horizontal platform revolubly mounted upon the 0st, a pair of standards projecting upwardly from the post and having the upper ends thereof slotted, a horizontal shaft fitted in the slotted upper ends of the standards and formed with a 'to receive the horizontal shaft and hold it in position within the slotted upper ends of the standards, shoulders on the shaft for engaging the latch members to hold the shaft against longitudinal movement, a jointed figure mounted upon the platform and operatively connected to the crank portion of the shaft, a wind wheel applied to the shaft, and a vane applied to the platform for holding the wind wheel to the windward. v

3. A wind operated toy including a supporting post, a horizontal platform revolubly mounted upon the post, a pair of standards projecting from the platform, a horizontal shaft journaled in the standards and provided with a crank portion, a 'ointed figure provided with arms and feet, t e feet having a detachable and'interlocking connection with the platform, while the arms have the ends thereof slotted to receive the crank portion of the shaft, a swinging latch member pivotally mounted upon the arms and having the swinging end thereof doubled to straddle the arms, said doubled end of the latch member being transversely slotted to receive the crank portion of the shaft and hold it in position within the slotted end of the arms, a wind wheel ap lied to the shaft, and a vane applied to the platform for holding the wind wheel to the windward.

4. A wind operated toy including a supporting post, a horizontal platform revolubly mounted upon the post and provided with a slot. a pair of standards projecting upwardly from the latform, a horizontal shaft journaled in t e standards and provided with a crank. portion, a jointed figure formed with arms and legs, the legs terminating in a T-shaped head adapted to interlock with the before mentioned slot in the platform, while the arms are slotted to receive the crank portion of the shaft, a latch member uponthe arms for holding the shaft within the slotted end thereof, a

wind wheel applied to the shaft, and a vane applied to the platform for holding the wind wheel to the windward.

5. A wind operated toy including a vertical support, a horizontal platform provided with a semicircular jaw portion receiving one side of the vertical support, a hooked latch member pivotally mounted upon the platform and having a resilient hooked end which springs around the opposite side of the vertical support, a horizontal shaft carried by the platform and pro vided with a crank portion, a jointed figure mounted upon the platform and operatively connected to the crank portion of the shaft, and a wind wheel fitted upon the shaft.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARVEY THATCHER.

Witnesses:

CHAS. BELL, JOHN A. EGMAN. 

